Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-20
CHICAGO.
fBy DR.. T. B. Robinson.l


hension of it. The first view Pushes,
crowds and confuses. A description in
such state of mind would be lacking
in accurateness and exaggerated, while
long residence makes one Indifferent,
things become common and familiar
They then loose much of their force and
interest. The novelty, variety, andfresh-
ness wears away with time. The long
residence is absolutely necessary for
accurate and reliable comprehen-
sion. One admires Bayard Taylor's
Views afoot" in Germany, but it re-
CURED two years to accomplish it.
People have read with interest Ben
Burly Poor's Worthington sketches for
many years, but it required over a
century to become saturated with the
spirit of Worthington's life. One
wonders at the variety and difference in
letters of travel of the same place by
different writer's, but it all depends upon
the amount of time and study that each
devotes to the place. Sketches also
vary according to their origin, whether
one writes from imagination, complies
from books or writes from what he
observes himself.
Three years residence in Chicago
enables one to get better knowledge
of its interior than books or imagination
can furnish. It's vastness grows in the
furniture of the mind by slow degrees,
almost unnoticable, in somewhat
similar manner that Topsy, of Uncle
Toms Cabin grew. Topsy forgot the
step and years but simply remembered
that she "growed."
Pictures of Chicago fifty years ago
generally represent Indians, wigwams,
log huts and Pioneers. The dirtiest
river in the earth is painted with clear
and limpid waters. Rank swamp vege-
tation exist on every side. Roads few
and far between with here and there
struggling settlers. The wild, unfenced
prairie, stretches toward every joint of
the compass until it meets the sky.
How little span of years has changed
the picture and the country. Seven
years ago while in company with very
promising young lawyer we walked up
Madison street toward Ashland avenue.
The lawyer referred to was in the prime
of early manhood, vigorous and force
full with an easy, elegant grace in con-
rhich rpay,, lone
training. He had travelled extensively
and was in the first flush of rising
reputation. He related with pride that
he had just received $500 for his views
of a case written on ten sheets of fools
cap, but "said he" changing the subject
"look ahead yonder," ''you see that 40
acres now being almost wholly covered
with elegant brown stone fronts; my
father owned all that and we thought it
would not pay for it's taxes" It is now
worth millions.
Three years ago we met a young phv-
stefan whose father traded forty acres
of land lying near the Chicago & n. W.
depot for sixteen COWS. The hired men
used to say they didn't want to fence the
Cd thing" the swamps were so
deep, ''it would never be worth any
thing any how" To-day millions upon
millions would not buy it. The more's
wagon, the log hut, the oxteam, the
stage coach are gone. In their place
are found the brown stone mansion, the
plush seated carriage and the parlor car.
Poverty and Indebtedness are displaced
by wealth and luxury.
Chicago is city of large qualities and
high attractions The one feature
towering above all others is its wonder
est business capacity in the world. The
genius of this capacity is purely Ameri-
can and can only be studied out on its
streets and in it's Bazars, specialties are
pushed to their utmost limit and every
avenue of trade is utilized. Rivalry in
business is rife but not bitter. The
Chicago man is progressive, vigilance is
written on every one of his banners. 1t
10 lstob DtCOIuIllS tLG 81 CotC htSlI IOI oAi0
business of the United States. 1t is
universal emporium, with a cosmopoi-
tan population. Nothing is to good or
great for Chicago. What it wants it has.
It is city of stupendous establishments
with men of shrewd and far reaching
calculations. Is street to be made, it
is made, is a great public building need
ed it is put up and without delay.
Energy and industry characterize the
men of Chicago. Activity, interest an9
speculation are nowhere in the world in
so high tension. The perfection ofthe
plans. in the various departments ofthe
city, are simply the opponents which
shows that the best brains and the
highest skill are employed to execute.
The police system Of Chicago is good.
Strangers are attended and protected
with venerable kindness by those men
who do not talk 4 Chicago policeman
is very mum man. He does not ex-
press his opinion but simply smiles and